My daughters had been using a M3 DS Simply card for sometime until the card was dropped or trodden on or something?(its a mystery neither of them know what happened,those of you with children will understand).Anyway it is now unusable so I replaced it with an R4 cartridge as I could not find another M3 DS.I installed the programs on the disc which came with the R4 but now when I turn the Nintendo on it comes up with a message on the top screen which says. "Couldn't find_DS_MENU.DAT." Any help would be greatly appreciated,but remember I am a rapidly aging father and only found this forum by mistake,so please could any replies be kept as simple as possible
if you have reviced the cd with the r4, then there shuold be an installation guide somewhere in the cd. but for your "Couldn't find_DS_MENU.DAT." problem, there is a file named ds_menu.dat that needs to be on the root of the micro-sd. meaning that the file is not located in any folder, but at the base of the card.
As an also rapidly aging father, I understand how things are magically destroyed. Mind the above advice and keep this Web site in mind: http://www.r4ds.com/download-en.htm That is where currently you can pick up the latest version of the firmware that goes on the R4. That will also have the latest DS_MENU.DAT. I think it is at 1.12 right now.
The R4 micro sd card needs to be loaded with the system folder, ds menu (DAT file), and ds menu (SYSTEM file)- there is two ds menu files with the different extensions to them, as far as i know you need to load both. They can all be found on the disc supplied but more up to date ones are on r4 website to download. Hope this helps.
there are also r4 updates at the r4 ds website, you'd need to update your r4 to play certain new games. its easy. its a patch.
Also being new to the R4 have successfully got it working and copied across games which were given to me on a disk. Can anyone tell me which is a reputable site for downloading additional games? and are they free or do you have to pay? Thanks
I also need some help on the R4 stuff. I am a retard when it comes to Programming. No matter how many times i read R4 User's Manual, i do not seem to know how to make it to work. Recently my R4 crashed, i lost all the DS_MENU.DAT, _DS_MSHL.NDS files on my micro SD card. None of my friends are here in Hong Kong and i am desperate to resolve this problem. Can someone please send all the necessary stuff needed to put on the R4 to my email? edited by ddp Please i am very desperate!!
I received my r4 without the install disc, and have successfully sourced the four main pieces of software that I apparently need despite the fact that nintendo seem to have shut down the r4 official website. I have moved the software onto the micro sd, and still I am getting the message 'couldn't find-ds-menu.dat' If anyone could pm me and send the relevant sofware I would be eternally grateful, as would my kids, who are desparate to get this thing up and running!
hi, i havent got a clue what to do when it comes to this downloading software, if someone could help me sort out my ds i would really appreciate it. it just says couldnt find_ds_menu.dat, could someone help me by telling me step by step what to do as i am really struggling, thank you very much
Go to the site in my signature - it hosts all the firmwares Download the right one for your card, un zip it (windows should do this for you - right click and select unzip) put the files onto your card Thats it
That site in his signature above is really good... but a useful peice of advice, if you're a complete n00b, is to try the ORIGINAL website, with the ORIGINAL updates and the ORIGINAL software (make sure you actually have the ORIGINAL cart though!).
This is the problem using the original site 1) if its a fake card you will get working software and never know its a fake till too late 2) A lot of people with R4's never know what they have got- if it doesn't work then one of the ones on this site will. I always advise everyone to use the site to avoid (1) so anoying to get a card and find out too late that it was a fake, worked for a few weeks but their will never be any updates because its a con
Does anyone know where i might find a guide on where to load the game on the sd card or some steps to play roms with the ds. I have an R4 Pro. Any help will be a big help.
I have followed all the suggestion above, (including downloading patch, formatting etc), but the DS still says couldn't find ds.menu.dat! What should I do? can anyone help please? Thank you! I am desperate to make this work for my son (who has been whingeing constantly!)
Then I am afraid it has the wrong firmware on it. The site in my signature hosts all the firmwares, try the unit with each - you do not need to put any roms on as you are just trying to get past the loading stage. Download a firmware unzip it and put everything on the card and try it. If not format and try another, by deduction you should be able to ingnore some of them
